Firefighters are notoriously resistant to change, but a new generation is looking to technology to keep them safer and let them move faster. The latest protective equipment seems more NASA than 911: advanced heat-resistant materials, heads-up displays, computer tracking systems, communication devices that give commanders constant updates on the whereabouts (and health) of deployed firefighters. Most of these are still in prototype, but some are already battling blazes.
– Roger Thomasson
Hot Gear of the Future
Audio Transducer
A precisely focused parabolic reflector inside the helmet will aim radio broadcasts at the inner ear.
Rescue Harness
Tough straps loop under the arms inside the coat. Pulling on the handles turns the jacket into a device that’s ideal for dragging unconscious firefighters.
Heads-up Display
Taking a cue from Air Force fighter pilots, the Berkeley Manufacturing Institute is developing a display that can show a building’s floor plan and the firefighter’s position.
Diamond Saw
Industrial diamonds in the blade cut through any kind of debris – metal, concrete, or wood – which is critical when that rubble is between you and a victim … and it’s on fire.
Telemetry Garment
Sensors monitor position, heart rate, and temperature. Satellites bounce the data to officers’ PDAs.
Cooling Fabric
A wicking layer of clothing with an embedded liquid cooling system, developed for astronauts.
Speech Without Sound
Throat sensors pick up the nerve signals of talking, which are then transmitted to others as text.
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